Pulaski County Disaster Risk

Pulaski County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 46th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Pulaski County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: earthquake (68th percentile), flooding (66th percentile), hurricane (52th percentile), wildfire (26th percentile), tornado (18th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is earthquake at the 68th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Pulaski County's composite risk percentile is 46th, compared to the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Pulaski County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Virginia.

Yes, Pulaski County's earthquake risk is at the 68th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Pulaski County is at the 66th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Pulaski County's composite risk score of 46th percentile is above the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by earthquake exposure (68th percentile), along with flooding and hurricane risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.